Grips for ball-bat handle and knob having multiple degrees of hardness

ABSTRACT

A grip for a sporting-good implement, such as a ball bat, includes a knob portion configured to be positioned around a knob and a handle portion adjacent to the knob portion. The knob portion may have a first thickness and the handle portion may have a second thickness different from the first thickness. The knob portion may have a first degree of hardness and the handle portion may have a second degree of hardness. In some embodiments, a sporting-good implement may include a handle with a recessed region. The recessed region may be formed between the knob and an edge on the handle. The recessed region may be configured to receive a handle portion of a grip element such that the grip element and the handle are generally flush near the edge.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority to, pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/918,513, filed Oct. 20, 2015, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND

Baseball and softball bats have conventionally included a knob at the end of the bat handle primarily to reduce the risk of the bat being thrown from a player's hands during a swing, particularly when the player loses grip on the handle. While conventional batting technique involves a player grasping the bat handle just above the knob, batters are increasingly adopting a different technique in which they grasp the knob with the palm of one hand and up to three fingers. This technique essentially provides a longer effective length of the bat, and, in turn, increased leverage for additional velocity and force against a batted ball. But grasping the knob while swinging a bat can increase the risk of wrist and palm injuries, and it also largely defeats the safety purpose of the knob because one hand is already partially off of the handle portion of the bat. Indeed, the knob-grasping technique puts added pressure on the hypothenar region of the palm, and, specifically, on the ulnar nerve, which can result in temporary failure of the ulnar nerve during the swing, resulting in injury or a thrown bat.

SUMMARY

A handle-and-knob grip for a ball bat or other sporting-good implement includes multiple degrees of hardness. In some embodiments, a sporting-good implement includes a handle region, a knob, and a cover or grip, wherein the grip includes a knob portion generally positioned around the knob and an integral handle portion generally positioned around the handle region. The handle portion of the grip may be harder than the knob portion of the grip.

In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a sporting-good implement includes providing a ball bat having a handle and a knob, providing a mold having a receiving space configured to accommodate a portion of the handle and the knob, and positioning the portion of the handle and the knob in the receiving space. An elastomer is provided in the receiving space to cover the knob, and, optionally, portions of the handle. Separate portions of the elastomer may be cured at different temperatures to yield different material properties, such as different hardness properties for the handle and knob portions of the resulting grip.

In some embodiments, a sporting-good implement may include a body having a handle region, a knob at an end of the handle region, and a grip with a knob portion positioned over the knob and a handle portion positioned over at least a portion of the handle region. The handle portion may have a first end having a first thickness and a second end having a second thickness different from the first thickness. The handle portion may taper between the second thickness and the first thickness. The sporting-good implement may have a recessed region configured to receive the grip, the recessed region having an edge that allows the first end of the handle portion of the grip to be generally flush with the handle region of the sporting-good implement. The sporting-good implement may be a ball bat having a barrel region attached to or integral with the handle region.

In some embodiments, a grip for a sporting-good implement may include a knob portion configured to be positioned around a knob, and a handle portion adjacent to the knob portion. The knob portion may have a first thickness and the handle portion may have a second thickness different from the first thickness. The knob portion may have a first degree of hardness and the handle portion may have a second degree of hardness.

In some embodiments, a sporting-good implement may include a handle having a first thickness and a knob attached to the handle, the knob having a second thickness greater than the first thickness. The handle may include a recessed region having a third thickness less than the first thickness. The recessed region may be formed between the knob and an edge on the handle. The recessed region may be configured to receive a handle portion of a grip element such that the grip element and the handle are generally flush near the edge.

The grip allows a batter to hold the knob portion of a ball bat during a swing while reducing the risk of injury to the batter and the risk of a thrown bat. Other features and advantages will appear hereinafter. The features described above may be used separately or together, or in various combinations of one or more of them.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates the same element throughout the views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ball bat having a grip in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a mold for applying a grip in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a ball bat machined or constructed to receive a grip in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the handle and knob portion of the ball bat shown in FIG. 3 positioned in a mold for applying a grip in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a handle region of a ball bat having a grip in accordance with another embodiment of the present technology.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a handle region of a ball bat having a grip in accordance with another embodiment of the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present technology is directed to handle and knob grips for a ball bat, the grips having multiple degrees of hardness, and associated systems and methods. Various embodiments of the technology will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description of the various embodiments. Accordingly, the technology may have other embodiments with additional elements or without several of the elements described below with reference to FIGS. 1-6.

The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this detailed description section.

Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include the plural or singular term, respectively. Moreover, unless the word “or” is expressly limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the other items in a list of two or more items, then the use of “or” in such a list is to be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list, or (c) any combination of items in the list. Further, unless otherwise specified, terms such as “attached” or “connected” are intended to include integral connections, as well as connections between physically separate components.

Specific details of several embodiments of the present technology are described herein with reference to baseball or softball. The technology may also be used in other sporting-good implements. The present technology allows a user to maximize velocity and force of a bat barrel during a swing while also reducing the risk of injury to the user and reducing the risk of a thrown bat. Examples of this technology are illustrated in FIGS. 1-6.

FIG. 1 illustrates a bat 100 having a barrel region 110 and a handle region 120. The bat 100 may be a baseball or softball bat, or it may be another suitable batting or hitting implement. The bat 100 is collectively referred to herein as a “ball bat” or “bat.” The ball bat 100 may include a transitional or taper region 130 in which the larger diameter of the barrel region 110 transitions to the narrower diameter of the handle region 120. The barrel region 110 may be closed with an end cap 140. In some embodiments, an end cap may be excluded, for example, in bats generally formed from solid wood or other solid materials.

An integral or attached knob 150 is positioned at a distal end of the handle region 120. The knob 150 may have a generally circular configuration extending circumferentially about the end of the handle region 120, or it may have another suitable configuration.

The ball bat 100 may have any suitable dimensions. The ball bat 100 may have an overall length of 20 to 40 inches, or 26 to 34 inches. The overall barrel diameter may be 2.0 to 3.0 inches, or 2.25 to 2.75 inches. Typical ball bats have diameters of 2.25, 2.625, or 2.75 inches. Bats having various combinations of these overall lengths and barrel diameters, or any other suitable dimensions, are contemplated herein. The specific preferred combination of bat dimensions is generally dictated by the user of the bat 100, and may vary greatly between users.

At least a portion of the handle region 120 and the knob 150 may be covered with a grip 160. In some embodiments, the grip 160 is an integral, single-piece grip 160. In other embodiments described in further detail below, the grip 160 is formed from multiple pieces or multiple grips. In some embodiments, the grip 160 covers the entire knob 150. The grip 160 may extend from the knob 150 up to a distance of approximately 10 inches along the handle region 120. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the grip 160 may accommodate both of a player's hands. In other embodiments, the grip 160 may extend a shorter distance from the knob 150 (for example, approximately 0.5 inches) along the handle region 120. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the grip 160 may accommodate only the portion of the player's hand that grasps the knob 150. In yet other embodiments, the grip 160 may extend from the knob 150 to other distances along the handle region 120, such as a distance in the range of 0.5 inches to 10 inches, or other suitable distances, depending on user preference.

The grip 160 may be formed with a different degree of hardness (i.e., durometer measurement) in a handle portion 170 of the grip 160 than in a knob portion 180 of the grip 160. For example, the knob portion 180 of the grip 160 may exhibit a softer degree of hardness in order to allow the knob portion 180 to temporarily deform slightly during the period of the swing that is most often associated with injury. Such deformation may temporarily result in increased contact surface area of the grip 160, which results in less pressure on the hypothenar region of the hand, and therefore less risk of injury or risk of a thrown bat. Accordingly, a user can use a technique that involves gripping the knob 150 for higher barrel velocity during a swing, while the grip 160 reduces the risk of injury or a thrown bat.

The handle portion 170 of the grip 160 may be configured to have a higher degree of hardness than that of the knob portion 180 so that the upper hand (closest to the barrel region 110) can grip the bat 100 without causing much deformation of the handle portion 170. This higher degree of hardness in the handle portion 170 may be desirable to players wanting their top hand to feel more connected to the bat 100 so that they receive the sensory input necessary to make fine adjustments to better position the barrel region 110 to impact a ball during a swing.

Accordingly, a bat 100 using a grip 160 of the present technology can provide enhanced safety for the user, and for other players and spectators, when the user employs a gripping technique that involves grasping the knob 150, while also maintaining proper feel for the upper hand on the handle portion 170 for control of the swing. A grip 160 of the present technology may also be advantageous for a player using a standard or traditional batting grip (in which both hands are positioned on the handle region 120 above the knob 150) because, in such a traditional grip, the bottom hand (closest to the knob 150) still receives the most force, particularly when the user decelerates the bat.

In some embodiments, the grip 160 may be formed from silicone, urethane, rubber, or polyurethane foam. In other embodiments, the grip 160 may be formed from other suitable materials, including other elastomers. The grip may be formed from multiple, different materials, for example, one material may form the handle portion 170 while another material may form the knob portion 180. In other embodiments, the grip material may be generally uniform throughout the grip 160. In such embodiments, the grip material may be provided with different degrees of hardness in various locations by curing the material in various locations at different temperatures. For example, the handle portion 170 may be cured at a different temperature than the knob portion 180 to provide the handle portion 170 with a higher degree of hardness (or a lower degree of hardness, if desired).

In some embodiments, portions of the grip 160 may have degrees of hardness ranging from approximately Shore 20 A to Shore 60 D. The hardness of the handle portion 170 and the knob portion 180 may vary according to user preference. For example, in some embodiments, the handle portion 170 may have a degree of hardness between approximately Shore 60 A and Shore 60 D. And in some embodiments, the knob portion 180 may have a degree of hardness between approximately Shore 40 A and Shore 70 A. In other embodiments, other suitable degrees of hardness may be used.

The handle portion 170 of the grip 160 may have a thickness within the range of approximately 0.03 inches to 0.25 inches. For example, in some embodiments, the handle portion 170 may have a thickness of 0.05 inches. The knob portion 180 of the grip 160 may have a thickness within the range of approximately 0.125 inches to 0.400 inches. For example, in some embodiments, the knob portion 180 may have a thickness of approximately 0.4 inches. In other embodiments, other suitable dimensions may be used.

During testing, the inventors were surprised to observe that batters using embodiments of the present technology achieved increased exit velocities relative to similar ball bats that did not include a knob-and-handle grip 160. These increased exit velocities generally occurred even after the batter took over 100 swings, which is surprising because exit velocities typically decrease as a batter's hands become fatigued and damaged from such a high number of swings. And a batter will generally produce approximately the same exit velocity when swinging bats having a given barrel, but the inventors were surprised to observe that batters experienced increased exit velocities when using bats having the same barrel but incorporating grips 160 of the present technology.

Although the grip 160 may be formed as a single integral grip or a single-piece grip, the grip 160 may alternatively be formed from multiple pieces, such as two parts. For example, the knob portion 180 and the handle portion 170 may be separate pieces contacting or attached to each other at an interface 190. The interface 190 may be located at any suitable position along the handle region 120 to accommodate various sizes of user hands and/or user preferences. In some embodiments, one or more additional grips may be included on the handle region 120 to accommodate a player's upper hand (and potentially a portion of the player's lower hand, depending on the size of the grip 160). In such embodiments, an upper grip may be formed and/or positioned similar to that of the handle portion 170, while a lower grip may be formed and/or positioned similar to that of the knob portion 180. In some embodiments, the handle portion 170 and the knob portion 180 (or the two grips) need not abut each other and may be spaced apart.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary mold 200 for applying a grip (e.g., 160) to a bat (e.g., 100) in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the mold 200 may have a receiving space or void 210 generally shaped to receive a knob (e.g., 150) and at least a portion of the handle region (e.g., 120) of a bat 100. The void may be appropriately sized to be larger than the bat in order to accommodate material to form the grip 160, which may enter through an opening 220 at an end of the mold 200 near the knob of the bat. In other embodiments, the opening 220 (or openings) may be located at other parts of the mold 200. Material for forming the grip (e.g., 160) may be poured, injected, or otherwise placed into the mold 200 around the knob and handle regions of the bat and then allowed to cure. Accordingly, the grip 160 may be permanently bonded to the bat 100.

In order to provide different degrees of hardness for the grip 160, as described above, different materials may be poured, injected, or otherwise placed into the mold 200 in sequence. In other embodiments, as described above, different levels of heat may be applied to the handle portion (e.g., 170) of the grip 160 than to the knob portion (e.g., 180) of the grip 160 to provide different material properties, such as the degrees of hardness. Other suitable curing processes may be used to yield different material properties. In yet other embodiments, adjusting the thickness of various portions of the grip (e.g., the handle portion 170 and the knob portion 180) may facilitate adjustment of hardness.

FIG. 3 generally illustrates a ball bat 300 machined or constructed to receive a grip (e.g., 160) in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. In some embodiments, the bat 300 may be generally similar to the bat 100 illustrated in FIG. 1, and it may further include a grooved surface 310 located at a portion of the handle region 320 near the knob 350. In some embodiments, the grooved surface 310 may include part of the knob 350. In other embodiments, the grooved surface 310 may be positioned only on the knob 350, or it may be positioned only on the portion of the handle region 320 just above the knob 350. The grooved surface 310 may be formed by machining or forming the ball bat 100 to include one or more grooves 315 that engage the grip (e.g., 160) to form a locked interface, which helps prevent the grip from disengaging from the bat 300. For example, during the molding process, the grip material may flow into the grooves 315.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of the ball bat 300 shown in FIG. 3, positioned in a mold 400 for receiving a grip (e.g., 160) in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. Material for forming the grip may be poured, injected, or otherwise placed into the mold 400 from the end of the mold 400 closest to the knob 350, or from one or more other suitable areas. The grip material may flow into the grooves 315 before curing. After curing, the bat 300, including the grip (e.g., 160) that engages the grooves 315, may be removed from the mold 400.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a grip 500 positioned on a handle region 505 of a ball bat in accordance with another embodiment of the present technology. The handle region 505 may include a knob 510 positioned at an end of the handle region 505 near the user during use of the ball bat. In some embodiments of the present technology, the handle region 505 may include a recessed region 515, which may have a reduced diameter relative to other parts of the handle region 505 and may be positioned and configured to receive the grip 500. For example, the recessed region 515 may be shaped or sized to allow the grip 500 to be flush or nearly flush with the remainder of the handle region 505 beyond the recessed region 515. In some embodiments, a notch or edge 520 in the handle region 505 may be shaped or sized to allow the grip 500 to be flush, or substantially flush, with the handle region 505. For example, the edge 520 may be a tapered edge, a rounded edge, a beveled edge, or another suitable edge.

The grip 500 may be formed from multiple parts (for example, two parts) or it may be integral. In one embodiment, the grip 500 includes a handle portion 525 and a knob portion 530. The handle portion 525 and the knob portion 530 may meet (for example, abut each other) at an interface 535. In some embodiments, there may be a gap between the handle portion 525 and the knob portion 530.

In a particular embodiment, a thickness 540 of the grip 500 at a first end 545 (for example, near the edge 520) may be between 0.02 inches and 0.08 inches (for example, it may be approximately 0.04 inches). In some embodiments, the handle portion 525 of the grip 500 may taper such that the thickness near its first end 545 approaches zero inches. The handle portion 525 may have a thickness 550 between 0.1 inches and 0.4 inches (for example, it may be approximately 0.26 inches) at its second end 555 (for example, adjacent to the interface 535 with the knob portion 530). In some embodiments, the handle portion 525 may have a varying thickness such that it gradually tapers from the thickness 550 at the second end 555 to the thickness 540 at the first end 545. In some embodiments, the thickness 540 cooperates with the recessed region 515 to form a flush or generally flush surface. In other embodiments, there may be no recessed region 515 and the tapering thickness of the handle portion 525 may still form a nearly flush surface. In some embodiments, the surface a user grasps may not be flush.

A first end 560 of the knob portion 530 may have a thickness 565 of between 0.1 inches and 0.3 inches (for example, it may be approximately 0.19 inches). A side portion 570 of the knob portion 530 may have a thickness 575 of between 0.2 inches and 0.4 inches (for example, it may be approximately 0.332 inches). A second end 590 of the knob portion 530 (for example, the end 590 that abuts the second end 555 of the handle portion 525 at the interface 535) may have a thickness 595 between 0.1 inches and 0.4 inches (for example, it may be approximately 0.24 inches). A second end portion 580 of the knob portion 530 (near the second end 590) may terminate near and/or abut the handle region 505 near the knob 510 and may have a thickness 585 between 0.1 inches and 0.4 inches (for example, it may be approximately 0.25 inches). In some embodiments, the thickness 550 at the second end 555 of the handle portion 525 may be, but need not be, the same as the thickness 595 of the second end 590 of the knob portion 530 (for convenience, and because the ends 555 and 590 are illustrated as being adjacent to each other, the thicknesses 550, 595 share the same dimensional indicator in the figure).

In a particular embodiment, the overall length 596 of the grip 500 may be between 3.5 and 6 inches (for example, it may be approximately 4.12 inches). In one embodiment, the knob portion 530 may have a length 597 between 0.6 inches and 0.9 inches (for example, it may be approximately 0.84 inches). The various thicknesses and other dimensions of the grip 500 may have other suitable values. The thickness of the grip 500 may be between 0.1 inches and 0.4 inches (for example, it may be 0.25 inches) with a tapering (reducing) thickness along the length of the handle region 505 toward the first end 545 of the handle portion 525.

In some embodiments, the knob 510 may be smaller than a conventional ball bat knob to allow the knob portion 530 of the grip 500 to have outer dimensions generally similar to a conventional ball bat knob. In some embodiments, there need not be a recessed region 515 and embodiments of the grip 500 in accordance with the technology can be positioned on a conventional ball bat.

As mentioned above with regard to the handle portion 170 and the knob portion 180 of the grip 160, selecting the thickness of various portions of a grip may facilitate adjustment of hardness. Likewise, in some embodiments, such as the embodiment generally illustrated in FIG. 5, the grip 500 may be formed from a single material having a hardness of approximately Shore 40 A, while the resulting cushioning provided by the grip 500 varies between the first end 560 of the knob portion 530 and the first end 545 of the handle portion 525 as a result of the varying thickness (for example, tapering) of the grip 500. Accordingly, the knob portion 530, along with the region of the handle portion 525 near the second end 555 may generally be thicker than the remainder of the grip 500 such that one of the user's hands can comfortably grip the knob 510 and part of the handle region 505 with adequate cushioning for a swing. The user's other hand may hold part of the remainder of the grip 500. The reduced thickness of the grip 500 toward the barrel end of the bat (away from the knob 510) provides improved tactile feedback relative to the thicker portions of the grip. Such embodiments of the technology allow a user to grip the bat in the desired swinging configuration with reduced risk of injury.

In some embodiments, the handle portion 525 may be formed with a material having a Shore A hardness value of approximately 40 A, while the knob portion 530 may be formed with a material having a Shore A hardness value between approximately 20A and 50 A, for example.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a grip 600 on a handle region 605 of a ball bat in accordance with another embodiment of the present technology. In the illustrated embodiment, the grip 600 is generally similar to the grip 500 described above with respect to FIG. 5. The grip 600 may be formed from multiple parts (for example, two parts) or it may be integral. In one embodiment, the grip 600 includes a handle portion 610 and a knob portion 620. The handle portion 610 and the knob portion 620 may meet (for example, abut each other) at an interface 630. In some embodiments, there may be a gap between the handle portion 610 and the knob portion 620.

The grip 600 may have thickness dimensions equivalent to or similar to those described above with respect to the grip 500 in FIG. 5. However, the grip 600 may be shorter in length than the length 596 of the grip 500. The length 640 of the grip 600 may be between 1.5 and 3.5 inches (for example, it may be approximately 2.0 inches) to accommodate generally only one of the user's hands when the user grips the knob 650 (via the knob portion 620). The handle region 605 may include a recessed or reduced diameter region 660 to allow the grip 600 to be flush or generally flush with the remainder of the handle region 605.

Although grips of the present technology have been described in the context of ball bats, embodiments of the present technology may be used in other sporting goods or other equipment. For example, grips of the present technology may be implemented for lacrosse sticks, cricket bats, golf clubs, axes, or other swinging implements.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the disclosed technology have been described for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the technology, and elements of certain embodiments may be interchanged with those of other embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the ball bats (e.g., 100, 300) may be made from wood, metal, composites, or other suitable materials. In further embodiments, the grooves (e.g., 315) may be formed by adding protrusions to the bat rather than removing material from the bat. In yet further embodiments, the grip may include holes, perforations, aesthetic coloring, or other suitable variations. In further embodiments, grips of the present technology may have suitable dimensions other than the dimensions provided herein.

Further, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the technology. Accordingly, the disclosure and associated technology may encompass other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein, and the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A sporting-good implement, comprising: a body including a handle region; a knob at an end of the handle region; and a grip including: a knob portion positioned over the knob; and a handle portion positioned over at least a portion of the handle region; wherein the handle portion has a first end having a first thickness, a second end having a second thickness different from the first thickness, and the handle portion tapers between the second thickness and the first thickness.
 2. The sporting-good implement of claim 1 wherein the knob portion and the handle portion are formed from the same material.
 3. The sporting-good implement of claim 1 wherein the knob portion and the handle portion are separate.
 4. The sporting-good implement of claim 1 further comprising a recessed region configured to receive the grip, the recessed region having an edge that allows the first end of the handle portion of the grip to be generally flush with the handle region of the sporting-good implement.
 5. The sporting-good implement of claim 4 wherein the handle portion tapers to cause the first end of the handle portion to be generally flush with the handle region of the sporting-good implement.
 6. The sporting-good implement of claim 1 wherein the grip is formed from materials comprising one or more of silicone, urethane, rubber, and polyurethane foam.
 7. The sporting-good implement of claim 1 wherein the sporting-good implement is a ball bat including a barrel region attached to or integral with the handle region.
 8. A grip for a sporting-good implement, comprising: a knob portion configured to be positioned around a knob; and a handle portion adjacent to the knob portion; wherein the knob portion has a first thickness, and the handle portion has a second thickness different from the first thickness.
 9. The grip of claim 8 wherein the knob portion comprises a first material having a first degree of hardness and the handle portion comprises a second material having a second degree of hardness.
 10. The grip of claim 8 wherein the handle portion has a varying thickness along its length such that the handle portion tapers toward an end of the grip.
 11. The grip of claim 8 wherein the grip comprises one or more of silicone, urethane, rubber, and polyurethane foam.
 12. The grip of claim 8 wherein the knob portion is integral with the handle portion.
 13. The grip of claim 8 wherein the grip is configured to fit over a knob and handle region of a ball bat.
 14. A sporting-good implement comprising: a handle having a first thickness and a knob attached to the handle, the knob having a second thickness greater than the first thickness; wherein the handle comprises a recessed region having a third thickness less than the first thickness, the recessed region being formed between the knob and an edge on the handle.
 15. The sporting-good implement of claim 14 wherein the recessed region is configured to receive a handle portion of a grip element such that the grip element and the handle are generally flush near the edge.
 16. The sporting-good implement of claim 15 wherein the sporting-good implement is a ball-bat and the handle is attached to a bat barrel.
 17. The sporting-good implement of claim 14, further comprising a grip element positioned around the knob and around at least part of the handle region.
 18. The sporting-good implement of claim 17 wherein the grip element comprises a knob portion positioned around the knob, a handle portion positioned around the at least part of the handle region, and wherein the handle portion has a tapering thickness along a length of the handle portion between the knob portion and the edge.
 19. The sporting-good implement of claim 18 wherein the grip is formed from materials comprising one or more of silicone, urethane, rubber, and polyurethane foam.
 20. The sporting-good implement of claim 18 wherein the knob portion has a first thickness, a first end of the handle portion has a second thickness, and wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness. 